


At the Bottom of the Hole

by Xazz



Series: Beneath [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Avatar, Avatars AU, Culture Shock, Duality, Fluff, Gods AU, Kinda soul mates, Kissing, M/M, Shared experiences, Underground, mines, soul mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:02:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26286124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xazz/pseuds/Xazz
Summary: Malik had always assumed the people who lived underground would be filthy, covered in grime, hunched and deformed. So when he’d taken his helm off on his wedding day he’d been shocked to find the handsome sounding voice had belonged to a handsome man. Now it was all he could think about.
Relationships: Malik Al-Sayf/Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
Series: Beneath [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909906
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	At the Bottom of the Hole

The Hole had once been a place of fear for Malik. Like all children he’d been told over and over again not to go near it. Somehow a child managed to fall down it once every few years anyway. But Malik had been told more dangerous than just a fall as a child. A fall would do nothing for him. The Sky would catch him. Even before he’d learned to control it there was no danger of falling from a high place for him. No, the fear was for what was down at the bottom of the Hole. The stories were always vague enough for his overactive imagination to supply the worst details. And of course he was supposed to marry one of those Holers. People who lived in the dirt and squalor deep in the earth, away from the caress of the sun.

Sitting at the edge of the Hole Malik didn’t think that about them anymore. He’d always assumed they’d be filthy, covered in grime, hunched and deformed. When he’d taken his helm off on his wedding day he’d been shocked to find the handsome sounding voice had indeed belonged to someone pretty. He shivered in delight thinking about it.

His Speaker had played it off as something that wasn’t a big deal but he’d been severely reprimanded once they were out of the Hole. The Speaker never yelled at him. He’d yelled at him that day. He’d been so furious Malik would do something so stupid. Something so spontaneous that could upset the delicate balance between the Sky and the Deep. He’d never heard the name Deep until that day. And then, of course, the first time he’d snuck down into the Hole to see Altair again. Because he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. About his glowing eyes. About his beautiful face. The Speaker had been against him learning the language of the Holers but Malik could be incredibly annoying and he’d eventually given in just to make Malik leave him alone.

He checked the sun. He knew when the right time was to go. He’d done this a few times now and this was the best time. A few hours past mid day. That way his beautiful Altair could get some sleep before being bothered by Malik.

He waited, watching the sun. Anyone else wouldn’t be able to look directly at the sun, it would burn their eyes. To Malik’s sight it was an unshining orange ball suspended in the blue sky. He’d had it described to him that most people saw it as a yellow ball with rays. Not him.

He waited for a storm to pass under the skin of the sun before he decided he’d waited long enough. Sun storms tended to happen at certain times every day and it was the best time to go.

He pushed off the edge of the Hole and fell into darkness.

Even at full free fall it took a little over a minute to reach the bottom. Feet before he’d impact at full velocity Malik checked his speed to a stand still a hand’s width above the ground. He stepped down casually and sat on one of the pews. Far above he could hear the chiming of the sun and Sky. Where was he? Why had he gone? Why was he so far from their sight?

He ignored the complaining and just thought about Altair. It wasn’t difficult. Most of Malik’s days were spent thinking about Altair. Not for the first time even that day he was caught up in a strong desire to kiss him. It made him shiver with excitement.

He didn’t have to wait too long. He stood from the pew he’d been sitting on when the door opened. Altair quickly closed the door after him and Malik met him only a few steps from the door, lips first; kissing him as soon as he was able. Altair kissed him back, grabbing the front of his ironed shirt hard. “I hope I let you sleep enough,” Malik said softly.

“Long enough,” Altair said, breathless, in Malik’s tongue no less. That made him happy and he kissed Altair again.

When they could stand to stop kissing Malik just put his forehead against Altair’s, grabbing one of his hands. “Miss you every day,” he said softly, closing his eyes.

“Yes,” Altair said.

Malik opened his eyes. “I wish we didn’t have to be so far apart,” he lamented.

Altair frowned. “I don’t know what we could do,” he went back to his tongue. Malik was better at Altair’s than Altair was with Malik’s so Malik didn’t blame him. But that was mostly because Malik was a horrible teacher who only taught him romantic phrases when he wasn’t occupying Altair’s mouth with his own. That or curses because teaching others curses in your language was half the fun!

Malik sighed. “Nothing,” he said.

“I communed with the Deep recently,” Altair said and that got Malik’s attention. Ah yes. The nebulous Deep. Malik knew nothing of it other than it was what kept these Holers in this hole in the ground and by extension kept his Altair far from him. It was some sort of deity. Perhaps like the Sky? He wasn’t sure.

“Oh?”

“I told it to not be so upset about your presence. It took some doing. But you’re allowed to navigate the Beneath at your pleasure.”

“Oh really?” Malik said with a smirk and Altair’s face got so warm Malik could feel it. “I can handle that,” and he kissed Altair on the nose.

“Terrible,” he scolded Malik but was smiling. “It means I can show you Beneath.”

“Oh,” Malik tried not to show his disinterest. What was there to see? A hole in the ground. Some holes in a wall for homes?

“Yes. Even the sunstone mines,” Altair said. That was of interest to Malik. Apparently a marriage was also accompanied by the gifting of some sunstones for his people but that hadn’t happened. That was partially why the Speaker had been so furious about what he’d done. “And the ignuf gardens, that is my favorite place to go when not down in the mine.”

That made him frown. “You work the mine?” That wouldn’t do.

“I oversee the mine,” Altair explained. “If there is no Depth to watch over the mine there is a chance for collapse, loss of life. I help ensure that doesn’t happen.”

“Oh,” Malik deflated. That made sense.

“Do you want to see?”

Not particularly. But Altair had done this to show Malik. This was his world. He knew it couldn’t compare to the splendor of Malik’s world but he’d humor his pretty husband. “Sure,” he said.

“Good,” and he opened the door a little and pulled Malik through.

He didn’t know what he’d expected. It wasn’t a huge cavern. So large he couldn’t even see across it. Every inch was carved in scrumptious sculptures of things Malik have never seen. Creatures he had no names for and wasn’t sure how to even describe, incredible crystal formations, plants he’d never seen, and people doing all manner of activities. And that was just what he could see in the little bubble of light they stood in outside of the bottom of the Hole. Lamps lined a spiral ramp that led down into the cavern, the lamps enough to just barely see by, the glass surrounding whatever the light source was blown into incredible shapes that boggled Malik’s mind. Some of them were colored or had colored panels. The road wasn’t dirt as he expected but perfectly level and smooth stone. The center of which had a broad strip of colored mosaics that faded in and out of different colors the further along it went. And up in the ceiling of the cavern the stalactites had been intricately carved and huge white crystals had either been inplanted and grown from them, making them not unlike upside down trees. And the sides of the cavern were covered in walkways, doorways, and windows of the inhabitants of the cavern. But the biggest splendor was the sunstones. Imbedded in the roof of the cavern were dozens, if not hundreds, of sunstones. Each glittering softly, old and used from who knew how long they’d been there, their normal brilliance faded from time. He’d never seen so many. There were some on his marriage coat he’d given to Altair but to just fill a ceiling with decoration?

Malik couldn’t move. He was so shocked by the wealth and splendor of the cavern.

He was at once ashamed of himself for thinking so lowly of Altair’s people. Even thinking of them as Holers felt wrong. They didn’t live in a hole. They didn’t live in the dirt or like some poor people of misfortune. They did not have less because they didn’t have the sky. They’d made their own sky and it filled Malik with awe.

“Malik,” Altair said, startling him.

He looked at Altair and saw him differently. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“Huh? What are you sorry about?” Altair’s brow furrowed.

“I had bad opinions and this just... man I was really dumb,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Altair still didn’t understand. “Okay? I don’t know why you’re saying that but I accept your apology.” How did Altair not understand? It took Malik longer than he’d like to admit to figure it out as Altair grabbed his hand and started leading him down the road. Altair had only ever known this world. He’d never seen the surface world like Malik had. He had no comparison or that Malik would even think he lived in dirt.

“Is it always this dark?” Malik asked as they walked. The lights from the lamp posts were dim, only enough to really see around the post themselves and they were spaced far enough out that there was darkness between them.

“No. It’s brighter during the yad,” Altair said. “Lamp lighters wake up early, before everyone else, and make sure that the lamps are in full brilliance. The light of them wakes Beneath.”

“What are the lamps?” Malik stopped to look at one of them. This one had a glad exterior like a bird cage with the light source being hidden behind the bottom of the lamp.

“Sunstone, of course,” Altair shrugged like it was no big deal.

“You just use them to light the city?”

“Well yeah. What else would we use?” Altair asked him, big eyed, confused why Malik was acting so stupid.

Beyond the Hole sunstones were so rare and precious they were only for the most special occasions. Malik had only seen a few in his entire life and he’d been married in a damn coat adorned with them. There were some used in official government and holy objects but he’d only seen them once or twice. That they were used as something as common place as street lamps boggled Malik’s mind. Not that it didn’t make sense but it still was difficult to fully accept. “I... yeah. I suppose that using them for light is what they should be used for,” Malik said. “Where are you taking me again?”

“The mine. It’s pretty, in its own way. Then the ignuf garden I like. If you think the lamps are weird you’re going to lose it when you see the ignuf,” he chuckled. Malik didn’t know what ignuf were. He’d have to ask the Speaker. An of course come up with a good excuse for why he wanted to know what ignuf were.

Malik just nodded and kept hold of Altair’s hand. Not that one could get lost in this Beneath. Despite its huge size the cavern only had a single road that wound around the side. It would take forever to get down to the bottom at this rate.

Or so he thought. Altair stopped at a strange platform surrounded by flimsy fencing. He opened the gate and stepped onto it, releasing Malik’s hand to go to a control panel of some sort. Malik stepped onto the platform. “What is this?”

“Workman elevator. You usually have to have a foreman’s permission to use it. But I’m the exception, as with most things,” Altair grinned and pulled a lever. Malik started and unconsciously just started floating when the platform started moving down. He stayed at the original altitude as Altair began to descend on the platform. “Hey, come down. It’s fine,” Altair said.

Malik landed lightly on the metal platform. “It startled me,” Malik said.

“Sorry it scared you-

“Startled, not scared,” Malik said quickly which made Altair snicker.

“Okay, startled. Sure,” he said with a teasing smirk.

“That’s right,” Malik said firmly but wasn’t really upset.

Altair leaned against the safety fence. “So even on an elevator it takes some time to get to the mines. But you can see the ignuf gardens from here,” he pointed out into the darkness. Malik didn’t know what he was looking for at first. He squinted into the darkness but saw nothing. His eyes weren’t good at seeing in the dark. “Can’t you see it?”

“No. What should I be looking for?”

Altair put a finger on his face to direct his gaze in a specific spot. Malik’s brows went up, eyes widening. In a huge crack in the wall of the cavern was a glowing spot full of mushrooms. But not little mushrooms, the type he’d find in food. No. These were easily as tall as houses back home, or even taller, of various shapes and colors and the only reason he could see it was because they were glowing. He went to the far side of the platform to get closer, to see better.

“Wow,” he said softly.

“Yeah, the ignuf gardens are my favorite spot in Beneath. Though we’ll need to be careful.”

“Huh?” Malik looked back at him. “Why?”

“During the dark they release spores. Not dangerous exactly but depending on the ignuf it can have weird reactions.”

“Like what?” Malik asked, turning back to the old garden.

“Like turn your skin green, give you a killer rash, take away your sense of touch on skin. I’ve heard some make you do weird things, alter your brain chemistry and that. But when its light they retract a bit and don’t release their spores.”

“We’ll be okay?”

“Oh yeah. I’ll grab some light,” Altair assured him. Malik watched the mushroom garden go past, disappearing up into darkness. He looked down and there was equal darkness. There was utterly nothing around them and it made him uneasy. He knew was it was like to be above but suspended in nothing? This far down there was only the road but no more doors or homes and the lamps were spaced further away. He didn’t want to call the feeling he felt fear but it was. He was at once terrified of the darkness all around them.

Malik looked behind him and Altair was casually leaning against the railing, his glowing eyes making him one point of interest on the otherwise unillumiated elevator. Malik move over to him and Altair was surprised when he leaned against his side. “You okay?” Altair asked him.

“It’s very dark down here,” Malik said, looking up. He knew the cavern’s ceiling was up there with the rest of Beneath but he couldn’t see it. He couldn’t see anything. The darkness seemed much denser here than it had been before.

“... Are you afraid of the dark?” Altair asked.

“I didn’t think I was,” Malik said. But back home it was never really dark. The stars and the moon always illuminated the night. But down here there was no natural light. He could barely see the elevator itself really. There was a dim, yellow, light as a lamp on the railing but it only cast a dirty light across the elevator. Altair’s eyes seemed brighter for it.

Altair wrapped an arm around his waist. “It’s alright. I didn’t know you didn’t like the dark,” and he grabbed one of the levers. The elevator ground to a halt. “We can go back up if you want.”

“But the mines— are they much further?”

“Another minute or two,” Altair said. “Hold on, let me try something.” He squeezed Malik’s waist before letting him go. He turned to face the wall and reached out to find stone. The elevator track went through the center of the elevator but on either side was solid stone. Malik’s eyes got wide when Altair put his hand on the stone and after a second his entire arm sunk into the rock. His brows furrowed and he looked very focused. Malik just had to wait, he didn’t was to disturb Altair in case something happened. “Ah, found one,” and Altair pushed into the rock, becoming flush with it and even sinking into it a few inches.

Then he pulled himself loose of the wall. In his hand was a rough sunstone almost too big to hold. It cast a bright light across the elevator. “That should keep the darkaway,” he said and casually tossed it onto the elevator’s center so it could light up all around them. Malik couldn’t help but wince when he did that. He treated the stone so casually. If someone treated a sunstone like that so casually back home they’d be punished harshly.

Altair pulled on the lever again and the elevator started doing down. “How’d you do that?” Malik asked.

“How do you fly?” Altair asked right back. He casually put his arm back around Malik’s waist, pressing their hips together.

“I just can?” Malik wasn’t sure how to answer the question.

“Same,” Altair said. “The Deep gives me such abilities.”

“What do they need a mine for if you can just do that?”

Altair looked thoughtful. “I am more valuable keeping cave ins from happening than fishing out sunstones,” he shrugged. “That and it’d be pretty weird for the miners to suddenly not have a job. The mines employ over half of us and most of us enjoy it. My mom was a miner.”

“Sorry— you enjoy digging through rock and earth to pick out sunstones?”

“Yeah,” Altair said, his face expressionless but not upset, just honest. “And other stuff too, ore, gemstones, and stuff. Why else would we have such expensive mines and infrastructure if we didn’t enjoy it.”

Malik was missing something. There was more to the word ‘miner’ than what Malik understood. Over half the population were miners? That didn’t seem right. How did they create such beauty if so many of their people were busy in the mines? “I think I don’t understand,” Malik said. “What’s a miner?”

“It’s someone who works in the earth, obviously,” Altair said like Malik was an idiot.

“The Speaker told me it is someone who works in a mine.”

“They do that too.”

“Who made the carved walls up there?”

“Miners— ohhhh,” he chuckled. “Yes. Words are different,” he smiled at Malik. “Miners just work earth, in all ways. Technically I’m a miner. But if anyone called me that they’d get funny looks.” Malik started and grabbed onto Altair when the elevator shook and stopped moving. “We’re here,” Altair said.

Malik looked around. There wasn’t much to see. Just a tunnel lit by a single lamp that stretched to darkness. Malik just squeezed Altair tighter. “Dark,” he said.

“I got you. It’s okay,” and Altair grabbed Malik’s hand and coaxed him off the elevator. He scooped up the sunstone as he did and jammed it into the wall next to the dim lamp. Malik held Altair’s hand in a death grip as they walked down the tunnel. If he lost sight of Altair he’d be lost in the darkness down here forever.

Altair showed him down the tunnel and then to another gigantic cavern. This one was well lit. Sunstone lamps every few feet to illuminate the upside down stepped pyramid shape with tunnels leading off every few dozen feet. Metal catwalks criss crossed the open space of the mine and took you up and down levels of the mine. There was a bottom of the mine and Malik was dumb struck. The bottom of the mine was a gigantic sunstone that illuminated the entire room, washing out the dim shadows the lamps had.

“Amazing, huh?” Altair asked to Malik’s dumb struck staring.

“Yeah,” Malik released Altair. Here in the light he wasn’t afraid. He shuffled over to one of the metal catwalks and walked out over the mine. Altair followed.

“I spend a lot of time here. Most of it really. But down lower,” Altair pointed at a part of the catwalk lattice that had what looked like a shelf hanging off the botttom. The shelf had books and hanging under the shelf was a fabric roll of some sort. Altair spent time down here reading? Really? “Want to get closer to the floor?”

“Yeah. Can I touch it? Would I get in trouble?”

“No one’s here. I think you’ll be fine,” and Altair led him down the catwalk lattice. Even here in the mines there was carved walls. Not as beautifully but they seemed more energetic. The carvings were rougher but that made them more alive and they had sunstones used for eyes.

“What’s that? Who’s that?” Malik pointed at the carvings. He realized now that only one type of carving had sunstones for eyes. There were men and women but they had similar features.

“Ages of Depths,” Altair said, not even looking at the reliefs. “There’s a carving of me and my dad around here somewhere.”

“Stupid question: why?”

“So we can watch over the mine even when we’re not here, or when we’re gone,” Altair said, looking back at Malik. Again Malik was stunned by this place. “C’mon, the bottom catwalks are like a calm maze,” and he motioned. Malik quickly followed, stealing glances at the walls, hoping to find Altair’s carving. He didn’t.

There was a single stair that went down to the sunstone floor. Altair stepped down right on it. It brightened around where he stood. He gave room for Malik before taking a squat and putting his hands on the sunstone, eyes closed. Malik was amazed. He’d never seen something so incredible. And he also had the horrible thought that if the people back home knew just how many sunstones the people of Beneath had it’d be chaos. It’d probably lead to aviators going down the Hole to steal and cause mayhem. But if what Altair said was true and more than half the population were miners Malik very much doubted there were any soldiers. What was there to fight? They lived in seclusion in a hole in the ground.

He could never let anyone know about the majesty and wealth down here. His people weren’t above taking what they wanted by force and destroying things along the way to make a point.

“It’s beautiful,” Malik said.

“They think so too,” Altair said, eyes still closed.

“Huh? I don’t think I understood that,” Malik said.

Altair looked up at him, hands still on the face of the sunstone floor. “Your presence is known here by the Deep. The mine is part of it. They think you are too.” He smiled slightly and Malik felt his face heat up and he looked away. He didn’t know much about the Deep other than it was some sort of deity thing like the Sky. And Altair was granted power the same as Malik was by it to do its will. It was still weird to be called pretty by his... husband’s? god.

“You’re prettier don’t even,” Malik said. Altair snickered.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Altair said and finally stood up.

Malik walked the edges of the mine to see thelowest carvings. At this level the carvings were of things that were... almost familiar to Malik. There was land, and a sky, and circles in the sky. “What’s this?” he asked Altair.

“Eh, just some old carvings. I’m not really sure. No one knows what they mean,” he shrugged.

Malik traced the carvings. “That’s a sun,” he said.

“A what? What’s that?”

“You know. The sun.” Altair just blinked blankly at him. Right. Altair would have no idea what the sun was. “You won’t believe me if I tell you.”

“No?”

“I couldn’t comprehend what Beneath looked like until I saw it myself. You can’t comprehend what my home looks like unless you see it. But the sun is there, in my home.”

“Oh,” Altair said, thoughtful. “I guess I never thought about what Dnoyeb looked like,” Malik just assumed that was what Altair’s people called his home. “Could I see it one day you think?”

Malik blinked. “I don’t see why not.” Then he actually thought about it. How would Altair get up there? A rocket pack? But he also was so connected to the earth he might freak out if he was flying.

“Cool,” Altair declared. “I want to see where you’re from,” and Malik smiled softly. That was a sweet thing to say.

They were down here for a while so Malik could look at the carvings and be continuously impressed by the huge sunstone. Nothing about the mine changed while they were down there. At least as far as Malik could tell. “We need to go,” Altair called across the sunstone.

Malik looked back at him, he was still at the stair leading up from the sunstone. “Why?” he called back.

“Waking hours is coming,” and Altair beckoned him urgently. “You’re not a miner. I’ll get in big trouble if they find you down here.” Malik obediently hustled over to Altair. He didn’t want to get him in trouble.

“Aren’t you a Depth. How’d you get in trouble?”

“Tell my father,” he huffed,” and he started climbing the stairs. Malik followed after him. They ascended the catwalk out of the mine back to the dark tunnel. Malik had somehow forgotten how dark Beneath was while in the brilliance of the sunstone mine. He grabbed Altair’s hand for comfort. Altair just squeezed it and led him back to the elevator.

Once Malik was safe on the elevator he grabbed the sunstone from the entrance and Malik let out a loud noise of surprise when Altair just... broke it in half and instantly the light within it faded. Then he reached up and smoothed over the wall.

“W-why’d you do that?” Malik asked.

“It can’t be here.”

“But it was so big.” Altair cocked his head at him even as he stepped onto the elevator. “Wasn’t it?” he asked.

Altair pulled a lever before responding. “It was an odd size. It wouldn’t have fit anything and would have been made into dust for charging anyway. There would have been more questions on where it came from if I left it.” Malik was boggled. How could a sunstone be an odd or wrong size? What was charging? How did Altair know that by just looking at it?

“But you said you’d bring light to the— the uh.... the mushroom place,” he struggled with the unfamiliar tongue for a moment.

“If it’s all the same to you I am very tired now,” Altair said. And he wasn’t wrong. Altair’s eyes seemed... dim. Did his do that? Dim when he was tired? “You always come see me so late,” he yawned loudly.

“Sorry?”

“I am not upset. I want to see you more than sleep,” and Malik smiled when Altair came to press up against his chest. He put his hands on Altair’s hips.

“So I guess that means I need to go?”

“Do you want to?”

Malik frowned. “Would you be in trouble if I stayed?”

“Maybe,” Altair touched his face. “But I hate watching you leave me.” Malik’s heart clenched a bit. Yeah. It did suck he was always the one who had to leave.

“Sorry,” and Malik kissed him softly. Altair put his hands on his shoulders. “Whatever you want me to do, I will,” Malik said when they parted, Altair had wrapped his arms around his neck while they kissed.

“There’s space for you down here,” Altair said softly.

“For how long?”

“Long enough. At least if your people won’t miss you?”

“Heh. They’re used to me fucking off for a few days. Only the Speaker would notice my absence.”

“Then you’d like to stay?”

“At least so you can get some sleep, sure,” and he reached up to touch Altair’s face. Altair smiled brightly at him and kissed him hard. Malik liked that. Not least of which because if he was kissing Altair he couldn’t focus on the darkness of Beneath and the terror of it.

As they neared the top of the cavern Altair finally pulled away from him. Had they really kissed the entire way? It absolutely hadn’t been their longest make out session in the times Malik had been down here. It barely felt like any time had passed but he knew how long it did take to get down to the mines. Altair stopped the elevator below where they’d stepped onto it but still near the top of the cavern. He grabbed Malik’s hand and pulled him off the elevator and up the road a bit.

They came before a gigantic, immaculately carved and embelished, facade of a house. It twinkled with tiny sunstones that gave off almost no light, just enough to glitter. “You live here?” Malik asked, stunned.

“I do,” Altair said smugly.

“You’re going to think I live in a shack,” he complained and Altair smothered his laughter.

“Shhh,” Altair put a finger to his lips. “Stay quiet,” he said and opened the door, which was made of copper and gold. He pulled Malik inside and it was pitch black. Malik would have thought he was lost in the void if not for the glance back of Altair and the flash of his glowing eyes. Malik just squeezed his hand hard and walked directly behind Altair, making no noise. Or he hoped he was making no noise. Walking through this darkness in a house made his heart hammer. How could the Beneath be so dark everywhere?

Finally Altair opened another door and pulled him through. Then he lifted the shade on a lamp and bathed the room in diffused light. It was a spectacular bedroom with a wildly colorful rug that took up most of the floor space and a circular bed of all things. “Why a circular bed?” Malik couldn’t help but ask.

Altair was equally confused. “Why? What shape should it be?”

“Rectangular,” Malik said slowly but their shared confusion on why a bed was the wrong shape was growing.

“But you’ll roll off,” Altair said.

“... No? You don’t,” Malik wasn’t telling Altair he was wrong so much as voicing why he was so perplexed by a large circular bed.

“Well you won’t have an issue sleeping on a circular bed will you?” Altair huffed and walked into his room carrying the lamp.

“N-no,” Malik stammered. Altair’s yawn around a ‘good’ was the reply he got. "Why such secrecy?" Malik asked, looking around the dim room he could only barely see the details of.

"So my father doesn't know you're here. I would get such a lashing," he said.

Malik paused and looked at Malik. Like Malik he was grown. Well beyond being a child or a teenager. "You still live with your parents?"

"Well this is the only house in Beneath worthy of a Depth, so yes," Altair said slowly. He sat on his bed and yanked off his shoes.

"So they live with you?"

"No. My father is the Depth," he said it purposefully.

Malik was taken aback. "There are two of you?" he asked, his own glowing eyes wide.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are there two of you?"

"I don't know," Altair said, annoyed. "There just are. Why? Wishing I was my father-

"I didn't-- no. I don't," Malik said quickly and went over to him. Altair was annoyed with him. "I didn't know there could be more than two. One on each side. That's what the Speaker always told me," he said.

"Well your Speaker is probably like how mine was: only knows what was told to them and doesn't do anyof their own thinking," he ended angry, not at Malik, but at his Speaker. "Infuriating old people who think they know best when they know nothing."

Malik couldn't argue. Altair had a point. "And your dad would be mad I'm here?"

"He doesn't think well of dnoyeb, no," Altair sighed. "He resents he had to marry some unknown thing and not my mother. And something like you doesn't belong this far underground. He might be unhappy about it. I don't want to tempt fate," and he yawned again.

"I see."

"You're not tired?" Altair asked him.

"It's more like dinner time for me now. Maybe later," Malik had no way to tell time here but his internal time keeping told him it was probably just getting dark back home. But no where near the strangling darkness of Beneath.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I can handle going to sleep without dinner," Malik chuckled. "I'll stand it to stay with you," and he leaned down, brushing his nose against Altair's. Altair kissed him softly, cupping his face in both hands. But his mouth slowed and he pulled away to yawn loudly, making Malik chuckle. Altair rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I won't keep you up anymore."

"How gracious of you," and Altair sighed and yanked his messy covers away to get under them. "I hope you aren't like some weirdos who sleep in your boots."

"I'm not that weird," Malik said. He leaned against the bed to take off his boots and his coat. He glanced at Altair and saw him staring. "Like it?"

"Handsome," he said in Malik's tongue. "My handsome one." Malik beamed at him and took off a few more pieces of clothing before laying on the bed with Altair. "I've never shared a bed with someone else before," Altair said, switching back to his own language.

"Me neither. Hope you don't snore," Malik teased him. Altair punched him in the arm making him snicker.

"I don't. And if I did it'd be way more of a problem then your beauty sleep. It'd be a ekauq." Malik didn't know that word either. He assumed it was not a good thing.

"I bet you sleep as pretty as you are awake," Malik said cutely and kissed his nose. Altair's glowing eyes looking away was the only indication Malik had of his flush. Altair turned away from him and shuttered the lamp on the bed stand. In cast the room into utter darkness. Their eyes were the only spots of light in the entire room and Malik’s were just enough to barely illuminate Altair's cheeks, tip of his nose, and his perfect lips.

"You won't be afraid of the dark here, right?" Altair asked him.

"You're here. I have nothing to be afraid of," Malik proclaimed.

"Oh good," Altair yawned widely again. "Let me sleep a bit and will eat and send you home when I get up." Malik’s heart jumped when Altair snuggled up against him.

"Okay. Sleep well," Malik said softly and stroked his hair. Altair closed his eyes, leaving just the tilted gaze of Malik’s eyes the only light in the room. Malik watched Altair sleep for a little while, and he was right. He was as cute asleep as he was awake. Then his own eyelids started to get heavy and he allowed himself to doze with Altair pressed against his chest, breathing in the warm earthy smell of his hair.


End file.
